Can-end-soldering machine.



No. 846,145. A 'PATB'NTIED MAR. 5, 1907.

F. RUDOLPHI N C. J. NELSON. GAN BND-SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEIT.21.1905V.

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No. 846,145. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

N'RUDOLPHI N C. J. NELSON.

'GAN .END SOLDBNING MACHINE.

. APPLIUATION FILED SBPTJLlOS.

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No. 846,145. y PATBNTED MAR. 5, 1907.

F. RUDOLPHI @zj G. J. NELSON.

lCAN END SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPROATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1905.

' 110.846.145. PATBNTED mms, 19o-1.

P. RUDOLPHI & G. J. NELSON. GAN BND SOLDBRING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 21.15205.

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PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

F. RUDOLPHI & C. J. NELSON.

` CAN'END SOLDBRING MACHINE.

`APPLIOATIGH FILED SEPT. 21, 1905.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21. 1905.

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N0. 84E,145. A EATENTED MAE. 5, 1907. E. RUDOLPNI & o. J. NELSON. GAN END soLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION 4FILED SEPT. 21.1905.

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UNITED sTATns PATENT orrron.

l FRANK RUDOLPHI AND CHARLES J. NELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS- SIGNORS TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-END-soLDEmNe MACHINE.

Speceaton of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed September 2]., 1905. Serial No. 279,378.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK RUDOLPHI and CHARLES J. NELSON, citizens or the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county oi Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usei'ul Improvement in Can-End-Soldering Machines, or which the follow ing is a specilication.

Our invention relates to improvements in machines for soldering the end, seams or round cans by rolling them in an inclined position along a runway u ith the seams over or in contact with molten solder in the solder bath or vessel, and more particularly to improvement in means for removing the surplus solder from the outside corner-surfaces ol' the cans.

In the machine embodying our invention rapidly-rotating long cylindrical buffers, pre."- erably each composed or a series or circular cloth disks strung upon shafts, are arranged parallel to the runways along which the cans are rolled, so that the solder-coated cornersurfaces of the cans come in contact with the rapidly-rotating buffers as they roll along the runways, and thus remove the surplus solder before the same becomes set and before the cans are delivered to the cooling conveyer or belt, by which the cans are conveyed in an upright position with their seams horizontal while the solder is setting.

Our invention consists in the novel construction or parts and devices and in the novel combinations or' parts, and devices herein shown and described. Y

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, Figures 1 and 3, taken together are a plan view of the machine embodying our invention. Figs. 2 and 4 taken together are a side elevation. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation showing the bul'ling or solder-removing mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section on line 6 6 or' Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the solder-removing or bulling mechanism. Fig. S is a vertical cross-section on line S 8 'of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a cross-section on line 9 9 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a partial plan view showingthe driving mechanism for the rotary cylindrir al buffers. Fig. 11 is a detail vertical section on line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal section on line 12 12 of Fig. 8. Fig. 13 is a partial plan view showing the adjusting mechanism for the can-runways at one end thereof. Fig. 14 is a detail vertical section on line 14 14 or' Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view of one of the rotary cylindrical buiifers. Fig. 16 is a cross-section on line 16 16 or' Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a detail vertical section on line 17 17 of Fig. 2. Fig. 18 is a detail section on line 18 1S or Fig. 4.

In the drawing, similar letters or reference indicate like parts throughout all the figures.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine.

B and B are transversely-inclined can-runways, along which the cans X to besoldered are rolled in an inclined position, so that their corners or seams 9; come in coneact with the acid or luX X in the fluxing device o1' vessel C and with the molten solder X2 in the solder bath or vessel C', which are arranged along the runways and beneath the same. The can-runways B and B are oppositely inclined, so that one end or' the can will be lowermost while rolling along one runway and its opposite end lowermost while rolling along the other runway. Each or the runways B and B is jfurnished with a lower guide l) for the lower ends or the rolling cans to bear against and with an upper guide b to bear against the upper ends or the cans, the upper guide b being adjustably secured by clamps b2 and adjusting-screws b3 to adapt the runways to accommodate cans or' different lengths. The solder in the solder bath or vessel C is melted and kept in a molten condition by heaters C2, the heaters being preferably coal-burning furnaces furnished with grates and with ilues. The cans are rolled along the runways B B by endless leXible conveyers D D, preferably chains, traveling on pulleys D2 D3 and having their lower runs resting directly upon the cans. To increase the grip of the can-rolling conveyers D D upon the cans, pivoted Weights D4 are preferably provided, which rest upon the chains.

E E are can-feed chutes along which the cans to be soldered are delivered to the canrunways B on one side of the machine.

F F are can-cooling endless conveyers upon which' the cans are delivered and conveyed in an upright position with their freshly-soldered seams lowerinost and in IOO log

l G are in line with and extensions of the cansoldering runways B B and are connected therewith by longitudinally-inclined runways G2 G5. Each of the bufling or surplussolder-removing can-runways G G is furnished with an upper guide or rail g for the inner or lower end of the can to rest against and with an outer guide or rail g to engage theouter ends of the cans, this latter guide or rail 4g being independently adjustable by means of clamp-screws g9d to enable the guide-rails g to be adjusted to or from the guide or rail g to accommodate cans of different lengths. Each of the can-bufling runways G G lis adjustable up and down to bring the cans rolling along thc runways in proper ,coperative relation with the rotary cylindrical buffers by means of adjusting-screws g5, furnished with handwheels g5, and the lower ends of which bear against brackets g5, secured to the frame. Each of the can-bufling runways G G is adjusted to and from the rotary lcylindrical buffers, so that the cans rolling thereon will be in proper cooperative relation to the buffers by means of adjusting-screws g, mounted in arins 97 on the frame and bearing against the can-runway. The bufling can-runways are thus adjustable up and down and also to and from the rotary cylindrical buffers. The cans are rolled along the vbufling-runways G G by means of endless flexible conveyers G4 G5, preferably belts, which travel on pulleys G G7. rloincrease the grip of the endless belts or conveyers G4L G5 upon the cans, spring-actuated pressure-shoes K K are employed, which are pressed against the lower run of the belts or conveyers G4 G5 by springs 7C, surrounding the supporting stems 7c. The pressure shoes K are pivotally connected at 7:'5 to the heads 7c3, so that the shoes may cause the belt to accommodate itself to the transverse inclination of the runways and to the cans rolling thereon.

Each of the rotary cylindrical buffers H H H2 H3 preferably consists of a series of soft flexible textile disks 7i, strung upon a shaft 7L. with interposed washers h2 of smaller diameter than the disks 7L. The cloth disks and washers are clamped upon the shaft L, which is preferably hollow and furnished with screwthreads h5, by clamp-nuts h4. Each of the veyer shaft G5.

hollow shafts 7i has a solid extension h5 thereof at each end connected thereto by a pin h5 to enable the buffer and buffer-shaft to be quickly removed by simply taking out the pin r. The shafts of the two lowermost buffers H H2 are journaled on the stationary frame of the machine in suitable boxes or bearings. The shafts of the two upper buffers H H5 are, however, journaled in sliding boxes t, which are moved up and down on suitable guides h5 by a rack h5 engaging a toothed adjusting-shaft 7L, which is turned by a hand-wheel 7i and which is clamped in any position desired by a clamp 7tlg, pivoted to the frame at h1" and operated by a screw hm. By this means the upper buffer of each pair may be moved up and down to any extent desired or required to adapt the machine for operation upon cans of larger or smaller diameters.

M is a hood covering the rotary buffers and having a central opening m at its top for the air. The hood M is furnished with hinged sides or doors M to facilitate access to the parts inclosed thereby. The hood M has an inclined or hopper-shaped bottom plates M2 below the rotary buffers for deflecting the particles of solder into a collecting or tray below.

N N are curved shields secured to the inner and upper guides g of the buffing-runways G G and projecting over the two lower buffers H H2.

P is an upright division-plate extending centrally between the two pair of buffers and projecting below the open dischargemouth m and serving to prevent particles of solder thrown o centrifugally by one buffer being projected onto the others.

R are 'curved and twisted guideways, preferably comosed of rods for turning the cans from their rolling position after leaving the bufllng-runways G G into an upright positien and delivering them onto the coolingccnveyers F F.

S is the driving-shaft. Motion is communicated from the driv ing-shaft S to the shaftD F'l of the cooling-conveyers F F from the driving-shaft S by means of a pulley S thereon, belt S2, pulley S3 on shaft St, which is furnisl'ied with. a gear S5, that meshes with a gear S on the cooling-belt shaft F4. Motion is communicated from the driving-pulley S to the shaft D5 of the can-rolling conveyers D D by means of a pulley S7 on the shaft S, belt S8, pulley S9 on counter-shaft S10, having a gear S11 meshing with a gear S12 on the can-rolling conveyer-slfiaft D5. Motion is communicated from the driving-shaft S to the shaft GS of the bufling-ccnveyers G4 G5 by means of a pulley S13 on the driving-shaft S, belt S1, and pulleys G9 on the bufling-con- A rapid or bufling rotary movement is communicated from the buflingconveyer shaft GS to the shafts-of the rotary IOC IIO

cylindrical buffers H H H2 H3 by means of a large bevel-gear G10 on the shaft G8, which meshes with a small buffer-gear H1 on the buffer-driving shaft H5, a sprocket-wheel H6 on said shaft, and sprocket-wheels H7 HS H9 H10 on the several buffer-shafts, respectively, and a connecting-chain H11, which also passes around a chain-tightener pulley or sprocket H12, which is journaled on a sliding box H13, furnished with an adjusting-screw H11. The driving-shaft G8 of the bufli'ng-conveyers G1 G5 is mounted on an adjustable slide G11, having an adjusting-screw G12 furnished with a hand-wheel G13 for turning the same. The endless flexible buffing-conveyers G4 G5 may thus be kept under proper tension. The horizontally-adjustable slide G11 for the driving-shaft G8 of the bu'lling-conveyers is furnished with a vertically-adjustable slide G14, upon which the shaft G8 is directly mounted, so that the height of the buffingconveyers G4 G5 may be adjusted up and down to accommodate cans of different diarneters. The pulley-shaft G19 at the opposite end of the bufling-conveyers G4 G5 is also adjustable up and down by means of the sliding stems g8 and set-screw gg. To enable the rotation of the buffers to be stopped at the will of the operator as occasion may require, the sprocket-wheel H6 is furnished with a clutch-face h15, engaging a sliding clutch h1 on the shaft H5 and operated by a clutchlever h1?, which is pivoted to the tie-rod a, which is on the stationary frame of the inachine.

T is a looped runway furnished with an elevator T to receive the cans after one end seam thereof has been soldered and buffed as they come from the cooling-conveyer on one side of the machine and deliver them onto the soldering-runway on the opposite side of the machine with the wposite or unsoldered ends lowermost, the loop runway serving to turn the cans end for end.

XV e claiml. In a machine for soldering the end seams of round cans, the combination with a fiux-bath and a solder-bath, of two transversely-inclined solder-runways along which the cans may be rolled in an inclined position, two endless chain conveyers for rolling the cans along the soldering-runways, two horizontally and vertically adjustable buffing-runways, inclines connecting the soldering and buHing runways, two endless belt conveyers for rolling the cans along the buffing-runways, means for vertically adjusting said belt conveyers, two pairs of rapidly-revolving soft cylindrical buffers composed of flexible textile disks arranged parallel to said buffing-runways, two can-cooling conveyers extending along and parallel to said soldering and buffing runways, curved guides for turning and delivering the cans from the runways onto the cooling-conveyers in an upright position, a hood extending over said rotary cylindrical buffers and the buffingrunways, inclined bottom plates having a discharge mouth, curved shields extending over the two lower rotary cylindrical buffers and an upright division-plate extending between the two pair of rotary cylindrical buffers, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine for soldering the end seams of round cans, the combination with a solder-bath, transversely-inclined solderingrunways, means for rolling the cans along the soldering-runways, horizontally and vertically adjustable buliing-rumvays, means for rolling the cans along said runways, can-cooling conveyers below the runways, and two pair of rapidly-rotating, soft cylindrical buffers arranged longitudinally adjacent to the bu'liing-runways and engaging the fresh solder-coated outside surface of the cans as they are rolled along said bu'l'ling-runways to remove the surplus solder from such surfaces, before the cans are delivered to the coolingconveyers, substantially as specified.

3. In a machine for soldering the end seams of round cans, the combination with a solder-bath, transversely-inclined solderingrunways, means for rolling the cans along the soldering-runways, horizontally and vertic'ally adjustable bufling-runways, means for rolling the cans along said runways, cancooling conveyers below the runways, and two pair of rapidly-rotating soft cylindrical buHers arranged longitudinally adjacent to the buffing-runways and engaging the fresh solder-coated outside surface of the cans as they are rolled along said bufIing-runways to remove the surplus solder from such surfaces, before the cans are delivered to the coolingconveyers, and means for vertically adjusting the two upper rotary cylindrical buffers, substantially as specified.

4. In a machine for soldering the end seams of round cans, the combination with a solder-bath, a soldering-runway along which the cans are rolled, means for rolling the cans along said runway, a vertically and horizontally adjustable bu'Hng-runway, means for rolling the cans along said bufling-runway, and a pair of rapidly-rotating soft, fiexible cylindrical buffers engaging the outside solder-coated surfaces of the cans as they are rolled along the runway, substantially as specified.

5. In a machine for soldering the end seams of round cans, the combination with a solder-bath, a soldering-runway along which the cans are rolled, means for rolling the cans along said runway, a vertically and horizontally adjustable bufling-runway, means for rolling the cans along said bufling-runway, and a pair of rapidly-rotating soft, flexible cylindrical buffers engaging the outside solder-coated surfaces of the cans as they are rolled along the runway, and a cooling-con- IOO IIO

veyer belowsaid runways, 'substantially as specified.

' 6. In la machine for soldering the end seams of round Cans, the combination with a solder-bath, :a vsoldering-runway along which the Cans are rolled, means for rolling the Cans al'ong'said runway, a vertically and horizontally adjustable buHn-g-runway, means for rolling the feans along' said bu'lIing-runway, and :a pair of rapidly-rotating soft, flexible cylindrical brillers engaging the outside solder-coated surfaces -oi the cans as they are rolled along :the runway, and a cooling-con- Veyer `:below said runways, and means for turning and delivering the eans `from their rolling position on said runways :into an upright position on said,eoeling-conveyers, substantially -as specified.

7. In Aa machine for soldering the 4end seams Y@freund eans, the -feoinbin'ation with Va solder-bath, 4soldering-ru'nwfays for the cans, means for rolling the cans along said soldering-runways, `ooolir-ig-o'onveyers, vbu'lfling-runways, means for rolling the cans along said bul'fing-runways, Atwo vpair of :rapidly-rotating soft, flexible cylindrical bu'llers `engaging the outside solder-'coated surfaces of the cans :as 'they roll along the runways, .a `hoed surrounding and inelosing the said :rotary buffers and lthe bul'ling-lrunways, inclined bottom plates beneath said hood and the rotary builersfand :an uprightdivision-plate eX- tending 'between the two pairs of buffers,

substantially as specified.

8. The Combination with a soldering-'runway and solder-bath, of a cooling-reonveyer, .a bu'l'ling-runway, rotary cylindrical buiers parallel to the buHing-runway and means lfor adjusting the bu'Hing-runway up land down, substantially as specified.

9. The Combination with a soldering-'runway and solder-bath, ofa cooling-conveyer, a bu'liing-runway, rotary Cylindrical buffers parallel to the Ehurling-runway and means for adjusting the bu'Hing-runway up and down, and means for adjusting the bu'tling-runway to and from the buers, substantially .as speei'lied.

10. The combination with a `soldering-runway-and solder-bath, of a cooling-conveyer, a bu'lling-ru-nway, rotary cylindrical buffers parallel to the bu'ling-runway and `means for adjusting the bu'l'ling-runway up :and down, and means 'for adjusting the butling-runway to and from the buflers, and means for Vertieally Aadjusting the upper buffer, substantiallyzas specified.

Signed at Chicago y'this 19th day of September, 1905.

FRANK RUDOLPHI. CHARLES J. NELSON. Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, PEARL AfBRAMs. 

